Anti-theft clamp connection device for oil production well
By using a flexible conductive strip and pressure sensor to detect the clamp status and leakage of the wellhead clamp, and combining it with image acquisition by a camera module, the shortcomings of the existing anti-theft and sealing monitoring technologies are solved, and real-time alarm and evidence preservation are achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 盐城市翰达石化机械有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing wellhead clamps for oil production are inadequate in terms of anti-theft and sealing monitoring. They cannot detect in real time whether the clamps have been loosened or damaged by force, and there is a lack of on-site image evidence when sealing failure occurs, as there is no real-time monitoring or alarm.
A flexible conductive strip is used to form a closed loop to detect the locking status of the clamp, combined with a pressure sensor to monitor leakage, and equipped with a camera module to collect on-site images when an alarm is triggered, and remotely transmit data through a communication module.
It enables real-time anti-theft monitoring of clamps, timely alarms, and provides on-site image evidence to ensure the safety and traceability of oil wells.
Smart Images
Figure CN224533738U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of oil well protection equipment, specifically relating to an anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells. Background Technology
[0002] Wellhead clamps are the most commonly used detachable connectors between various components of the wellhead. CN114856493B proposes technologies such as fingerprint locks, buzzers, and transceivers on the clamps, improving the anti-theft level, but the following shortcomings still exist: 1. Relying solely on fingerprint locks and mechanical bolts for theft prevention is insufficient to detect whether the clamps have been forcibly loosened or damaged; 2. Lack of real-time monitoring of seal failure (or leakage); 3. There are no images of the scene when the alarm is triggered, making it difficult to preserve evidence.
[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this utility model discloses an anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells. It detects whether the clamp body has been opened by detecting whether the conductive strip inside the first and second clamps is conductive, and detects the pipeline pressure by using a pressure sensor.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the specific technical solution of this application is as follows: The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells includes: The clamp body includes a first clamp body and a second clamp body, which are connected by bolts to form a ring structure; The electrical detection circuit is installed at the clamp connection, and the electrical detection circuit forms a closed loop when the first clamp body and the second clamp body are locked together. The detection module is used to detect the continuity status of the electrical detection circuit and to issue an alarm signal when it is disconnected. The power module is used to supply power to the detection module; The control module, connected to the detection module, is used to receive alarm signals; the communication module is used to remotely transmit alarm information and image data to the monitoring center.
[0006] Based on the above technical features, the electrical detection circuit is a flexible conductive strip 4, which is embedded inside the clamp body. The two ends of the conductive strip are respectively set on the contact surfaces of the first clamp body and the second clamp body. When the clamp body is locked, the two ends of the conductive strip contact to form a closed circuit.
[0007] Based on the above technical features, it further includes a pressure sensor, which is installed on the inner wall of the clamp body to detect the pressure at the connection with the pipeline, thereby determining whether a leak has occurred; the control module is also connected to the pressure sensor to issue an alarm signal when abnormal pressure is detected.
[0008] Based on the above technical features, preferably, it also includes a camera module, which is hidden and installed on the outside of the clamp body for acquiring on-site images; when the control module receives an alarm signal, it controls the camera module to start image acquisition.
[0009] Based on the above technical features, preferably, the power module includes a photovoltaic panel and an energy storage battery, with the photovoltaic panel disposed on the outer surface of the clamp body and the energy storage battery disposed in the internal cavity of the clamp body.
[0010] Based on the above technical features, preferably, the clamp body connection is provided with a waterproof sealing structure to protect the electrical detection circuit and internal electrical components.
[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: This application utilizes a flexible conductive strip to form a "lock-conduct / release-disconnect" circuit, which will trigger an alarm for any unauthorized disassembly, and has no blind spots in detection; The pressure sensor measures the contact pressure between the clamp and the pipe in real time. An abnormal drop indicates a seal failure, thus achieving the dual functions of anti-theft and production safety. The camera module is normally in sleep mode, but it will activate to take a picture or short video upon alarm, and upload it to the monitoring center via the communication module to provide direct evidence for subsequent accountability. The photovoltaic panels generate electricity during the day, and the energy storage batteries power other modules at night. With the help of a low-power MCU, it can work continuously for more than 3 years without an external power source. Attached Figure Description
[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to this utility model; List of identifiers in attached diagrams: 1. First clamp body; 2. Second clamp body; 3. Bolt; 4. Conductive strip; 401. Contact point; 5. Pressure sensor; 6. Camera module; 7. Photovoltaic panel; 8. Detection module. Detailed Implementation
[0013] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
[0014] It should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings, while the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively. Furthermore, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0015] like Figure 1 As shown, the anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells includes a clamp body, which includes a first clamp body 1 and a second clamp body 2. The first clamp body 1 and the second clamp body 2 are connected by bolts 3 to form a ring structure.
[0016] An electrical detection circuit is provided at the clamp connection. Specifically, the electrical detection circuit is a flexible conductive strip 4, which is embedded inside the clamp body. The two end contacts 401 of the conductive strip 4 are respectively set on the contact surfaces of the first clamp body 1 and the second clamp body 2. When the clamp body is locked, the two end contacts 401 of the conductive strip contact to form a closed circuit.
[0017] The detection module 8 is used to detect the continuity status of the electrical detection circuit and issue an alarm signal when it is disconnected. Preferably, the detection module 40 is a low-power MCU (STM32L031) with a built-in pull-up resistor, which collects the circuit level of the conductive strip in real time. If the disconnection lasts for more than 50ms, it is determined as "illegal disassembly", and the MCU wakes up the subsequent circuit.
[0018] A power module is used to power the detection module. Preferably, the power module includes a photovoltaic panel 7 and an energy storage battery. The photovoltaic panel 7 is disposed on the outer surface of the clamp body, and the energy storage battery is disposed in the internal cavity of the clamp body. A 0.1mm thick flexible FPC conductive strip is embedded in the bottom of the trapezoidal sealing groove 14. The silver-plated contacts 401 at both ends of the conductive strip are located at the interface of the first and second clamp bodies, respectively. When the bolt 3 reaches the specified torque, the two contacts are pressed together to form a closed circuit; once the bolt is loosened or the clamp is pried open, the contacts separate, and the circuit is immediately broken. Preferably, the photovoltaic panel 7 is a 5W monocrystalline silicon flexible board, conformally encapsulated on the outer surface of the clamp with epoxy resin, and outputs 6V / 800mA when there is sufficient sunlight during the day; the energy storage battery 82 is a 3.7V / 2600mAh lithium iron phosphate battery, placed in an independent battery cavity inside the clamp body, and can still discharge normally at -30℃. A Schottky diode is connected in series between the photovoltaic panel 7 and the energy storage battery to prevent backflow, and the MCU achieves optimal energy utilization through the MPPT algorithm.
[0019] The control module, connected to the detection module, receives alarm signals; the communication module remotely transmits alarm information and image data to the monitoring center. One embodiment of the communication module uses an LTE-Cat1 module, supporting 4G full network connectivity. The MCU packages the alarm type (disassembly / leakage), pressure value, power level, and image data into JSON and sends it to the oilfield monitoring center via the MQTT protocol; simultaneously, it sends an SMS link to a designated mobile phone number, which can be clicked to view on-site photos.
[0020] Furthermore, it also includes a pressure sensor 5, disposed on the inner wall of the clamp body, used to detect the pressure at the connection with the pipeline, thereby determining whether a leak has occurred; the control module is also connected to the pressure sensor to issue an alarm signal when abnormal pressure is detected. In one embodiment of the pressure sensor, a ceramic pressure chip is selected and glued into a radial hole in the inner wall of the first clamp body 1, with the pressure-sensing surface in direct contact with the outer wall of the pipeline. The MCU samples every 1 second, and a leak alarm is triggered when the pressure value drops by more than 15% relative to the initial value.
[0021] Preferably, it also includes a camera module 6, which is hidden on the outside of the clamp body for acquiring on-site images; when the control module receives an alarm signal, it controls the camera module to start image acquisition. Preferably, the camera module uses a 720P ultra-small CMOS camera, hidden in a groove on the outer arc surface of the second clamp body 2, with a 2mm thick tempered glass 61 in front of the camera, flush with the curved surface of the second clamp. After receiving the alarm, the MCU immediately starts the camera to capture 10 seconds of video and 3 high-definition photos, which are then stored in the onboard SPI Flash.
[0022] Preferably, the clamp body connection is provided with a waterproof sealing structure to protect the electrical testing circuit and internal electrical components. In a preferred embodiment, the contact surfaces of the first clamp 1 and the second clamp 2 are machined with double-layer stops, the inner stop pressing the O-ring, and the outer stop being filled with silicone rubber to form a secondary seal; all bolt holes are pre-coated with anaerobic adhesive to achieve an IP68 protection level and prevent leakage.
[0023] Working principle: Normal state: clamps are locked → conductive strip is closed → MCU goes into sleep mode, only pressure sensor samples intermittently; photovoltaic panel float charges battery.
[0024] Disassembly event: Bolt loosens → Conductive strip breaks → MCU wakes up → "Illegal disassembly" is determined → Camera starts recording → Image and alarm are uploaded via 4G → Log is saved locally.
[0025] Leakage event: Seal failure → Pressure drop → MCU determines "leakage" → Camera starts synchronously → Alarm is uploaded.
[0026] Low power management: When the battery voltage is <3.2V, the MCU shuts down the camera and 4G, retaining only the disconnection detection and entering ultra-low power mode; the battery is automatically replenished and all functions are restored after the light is restored.
[0027] Remote interaction: The monitoring center can issue commands such as "take a picture immediately" and "modify the sampling period", and the MCU will execute them and return an acknowledgment packet upon the next wake-up.
[0028] This invention upgrades the traditional passive mechanical clamp into an intelligent anti-theft node with active sensing, instant alarm, and traceable evidence, and can be widely used in unattended wellheads on land, in the sea, and in shale oil fields.
[0029] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings merely illustrate the technical concept of the present invention and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and all such improvements and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. An anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells, characterized in that: include: The clamp body includes a first clamp body and a second clamp body, which are connected by bolts to form a ring structure; The electrical detection circuit is installed at the clamp connection, and the electrical detection circuit forms a closed loop when the first clamp body and the second clamp body are locked together. The detection module is used to detect the continuity status of the electrical detection circuit and to issue an alarm signal when it is disconnected. The power module is used to supply power to the detection module; The control module, connected to the detection module, is used to receive alarm signals; the communication module is used to remotely transmit alarm information and image data to the monitoring center.
2. The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrical detection circuit is a flexible conductive strip embedded inside the clamp body. The two ends of the conductive strip are respectively located on the contact surfaces of the first clamp body and the second clamp body. When the clamp body is locked, the two ends of the conductive strip contact to form a closed circuit.
3. The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a pressure sensor, which is installed on the inner wall of the clamp body, to detect the pressure at the connection with the pipeline, thereby determining whether a leak has occurred; the control module is also connected to the pressure sensor to issue an alarm signal when abnormal pressure is detected.
4. The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a camera module, which is hidden on the outside of the clamp body and used to collect on-site images; when the control module receives an alarm signal, it controls the camera module to start image acquisition.
5. The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power module includes a photovoltaic panel and an energy storage battery. The photovoltaic panel is disposed on the outer surface of the clamp body, and the energy storage battery is disposed in the internal cavity of the clamp body.
6. The anti-theft clamp connection device for oil wells according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamp body connection is equipped with a waterproof sealing structure to protect the electrical detection circuit and internal electrical components.